Four-day holiday event
The Waupaca Yuletide Celebration has grown into a four-day event that runs from Thursday, Nov. 30, to through Sunday, Dec. 3, throughout Waupaca and the Chain O’Lakes.
The Waupaca Area Arts and Culture Network, comprised of local businesses and organizations, created this holiday celebration.
Thursday
The celebration kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, with a Christmas parade. Santa will arrive on a red Waupaca fire truck.
The parade will start at South Park and end at Danes Hall with Mayor Smith and Santa lighting the 18-foot Christmas tree, along with a
Christmas carol sing-a-long in the Danes Hall Plaza at the top of the hill on North Main Street.
Friday
There will be snowflake cutting and decorating from 8-11 a.m. and live music by Jacob Mast from 2-5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 1, at Java Jive, 120 W. Union St. Cookie decorating is planned from 4-8 p.m. Friday at Three Angels Dessert Shop, 114 N. Main St.
Friday will feature a free screening of “The Polar Express” at 6 p.m. at the Waupaca Area Public Library.
Stores in downtown Waupaca and in King will offer late-night shopping.
Bethany, 1226 Berlin St., will host “Light Up Bethany” from 6-8 p.m. The fundraising event includes music, treats and opportunities to have photos take with Santa and the Grinch.
Visitors can then view and vote on their favorite lighted Christmas trees, which are sponsored by local organizations. Tickets for voting are available at $1 each.
Saturday
Visitors can shop and dine in downtown Waupaca and in the Chain O’Lakes area from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
New this year, a Chain-to-Main Trolley will provide free hourly rides from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The trolley will pick up passengers at the corner of Main and Fulton streets in downtown Waupaca at the top of the hour and drop them off at Park Lane and County QQ on the half hour, then make the return run.
Passengers will be entertained along the way with history about the Waupaca, the Chain O’Lakes and the Waupaca Trolly. They will also hear a Christmas story and participate in a sing-along.
Saturday is also the day of the Yuletide Trail Cookie Walk for those who purchased the vintage cookie tins. Participants will visit more than 20 shops and each one will give them a cookie until they fill the tins.
The tins cost $20 and are available at the Holly Center, Northern Home, Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce and Community First Credit Union.
Other activities on Saturday include caroling on Main Street, a winter Farmers Market at the Holly History Center, and the Waupaca Area Public Library will offer arts and crafts, story time and music.
Danes Hall and RE/MAX Lyons Real Estate will hold a Toys for Tots collection.
From noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Danes Hall will host a children’s Christmas party with Santa visiting for holiday pictures from noon to 2 p.m.
Farmhouse and Cabin, at N2744 County Trunk QQ, in King, will offer cookie decorating and hot cocoa from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Grinch will visit Three Angels Dessert Shop, and Cliff Mast will perform live music at Java Jive.
The Waupaca Expo Center will offer open ice skating from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday
Main Street will be decorated for another day of holiday shopping with pine boughs and lighted flower pots, the city bandstand will be adorned with a 10-foot Christmas tree and garland, and the library/city hall will have 12 decorated Christmas trees.
Another open skate will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Waupaca Expo Center.
The Waupaca Fine Arts Festival will present a 12 Days of Christmas Cabaret Dinner Theater at the Waupaca County Club, 1330 Ware St.
Shows are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, and noon Sunday, Dec. 3.
Highlights include a three-course meal, cash bar, holiday music, poems, prose and caroling. Tickets are $35 per person and available through the Waupaca Fine Arts Facebook page.